How does training on the elliptical machine compare to actually running?
Calories burned?
Muscles worked?
Heart?
Lungs?
How does training on the elliptical machine compare to actually running?
Calories burned?
Muscles worked?
Heart?
Lungs?
I'm back on an ET again after suffering from issues with my ITB and laying off from track/road training/racing for a few weeks. My first 'real' injury outside of PF sucks.
Training on the elliptical machine can be of benefit if you are recovering from a marathon or an injury and want to lose as little cardiovascular fitness as possible. When I do ET workouts I will use the manual program and adjust the resistance accordingly to get my HR up to the desired level. I don't trust the machine to do it on the 'cardio' program; I originally hurt myself in Jan recovering from a marathon - resistance got to my knees/IT long before my HR got up high enough for the machine to start adjusting automatically.
You can work on balance issues on an ET once you get more comfortable by not using the handles and staying upright like on a treadmill. On the issue of calories burned and distance, I tend to use the formula I read in a copy of my least-favorite running magazine (which has recently gone through an overhaul): Take your weight and multiply it by .73 (or .75 if you don't want to split too many hairs). The resultant number is the number of calories burned per mile of walking or running.
ET is NOT running, but it's pretty darn close.
Novice wrote:
How does training on the elliptical machine compare to actually running?
It's way more boring. I can't handle it for more than 30 minutes at a stretch.
It is boring, but when you're hurt it at least gives you a bit of a workout. Have any of you ever tried the Arch Trainer? I feel it works me harder than the eliptical training.
The eliptical is bad. It's both too close to running form and not close enough. It isnt close enough to work the exact same muscles as running, therefore improving your stride, but it is close enough to alter your stride. The motion is very similar to running so you learn the action. Unfortunatly if you ran like you exercise on the eliptical, your stride would be miserably small, and that is what your muscles are learning.
You should bike. It improves your cardio and anaerobic fitness without altering your stride. Bike outside whenever possible to reduce boredom.